HELP - Is this right?? Im stumped on how this is gonna work!!!!

[longhornsqx4]

EDIT

After he cuts it like this, what does he use to knock the metal sleeve out?


Modified by longhornsqx4 at 8:28 AM 3/7/2010

[snwbrdr435]

Press

[Red coupe]

Press

Yup.

See how the bushing is tapered?Rubber compresses... so if you push hard enough, and put on enough lube it will probably pop in.

The mechanic says "it may not even fit" because he didn't make the parts, and he is not going to assume any responsibility for people bringing him poorly designed cheap parts and then being pissed when they don't work.

The part that is inside of the red circle should be what is pushed out. Will probably be a lot harder with it being that rusty...

I have heard some people cut the rubber bushing in half perpendicular to its axis so each side slips in.... But I have heard people do lots of stupid s***, so I am not going to recommend or not recommend this. As far as "Is this right"...Just like the mechanic, I don't know. If the guys who made that part knew what they were doing, and designed it for your application it should be... If its a cheap or semi-generic part... It may not. Do you trust the guys who you bought it from to supply you with a part that works right?

[longhornsqx4]

Thats a good idea. I may just cut the bushings in half and install them myself. Simply get the mechanic to only push out the old ones

Im gonna call the local junkyard, maybe they have a press and could whip it out on a sunday

[longhornsqx4]

What can I soak the arms in to loosen up those bushings and metal sleeves that have to be pushed out?

Will anything make it easier??

[cmfireman]

Put the new bushings in the freezer for a few hours. Have the old ones pressed out, and see if you can quickly get the new ones in while they're cold. I'm not saying it will work in this application, but it has been known to work before.

[sbird1]

Good idea Mr. Fireman. You could also use that same theory and use heat to try and coerce the old ones out if you don't want to spend the money or whatever.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I have heard some people cut the rubber bushing in half perpendicular to its axis so each side slips in.... But I have heard people do lots of stupid s***, so I am not going to recommend or not recommend this.

Z32 bushings actually come in who halves like that (at least, the ones that came with my Stillen adjustable FUCAs did). They can be inserted without a press (even with the control arm still on the car) but it is still a huge pain in the arse.

Just burn out the old bushings with a torch.

[ZOMG.SR20]

umm press the old ones out and have the new pressed in..... simple as that just make sure to use plenty of white lithium grease on them so they don't squeak before they're broken in

a shop usually charges 20$

[themadscientist]

if you push hard enough, and put on enough lube it will probably pop in.

True, but she still wasn't up for it again.

[LEMHEAD16]

Put the new bushings in the freezer for a few hours. Have the old ones pressed out, and see if you can quickly get the new ones in while they're cold. I'm not saying it will work in this application, but it has been known to work before.

Pretty sure trying to "Press" cold rubber in will end in disaster. The method stated above is meant for solid metal bushings or races. When Metal is cooled it shrinks. I'm pretty sure Rubber would just become hard and brittle.

[Red coupe]

Pretty sure trying to "Press" cold rubber in will end in disaster. The method stated above is meant for solid metal bushings or races. When Metal is cooled it shrinks. I'm pretty sure Rubber would just become hard and brittle.

Kinda what I was thinking.

Dunno that it would be brittle enough to mess anything up... but the cold/heat trick is for press fits where your gaining an extra thousandths or two. Rubber is definitely not going to shrink enough to make that fit much easier, and its going to make the rubber less flexible.

[nissangirl74]

Pretty sure trying to "Press" cold rubber in will end in disaster. The method stated above is meant for solid metal bushings or races. When Metal is cooled it shrinks. I'm pretty sure Rubber would just become hard and brittle.

^This. I used to work at a factory where we made several car parts out of rubber. You ain't shrinking nothing. Your best bet is to make sure both surfaces are very clean and grease the bushings.

[cmfireman]

Bah. Too much work is catching up to me. I saw rubber bushings but was thinking metal.

[longhornsqx4]

I found a way to get the old bushing out without a press to!! So I may just be saved this sunday

[longhornsqx4]

After he cuts it like this, what does he use to knock the metal sleeve out?

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Wanted to post up when I saw this last night but the Ipod won't let me log in for some reason.

Either way the best way to to remove old bushings is to



As far as the metal ring is concerned I really don't think that is supposed to come out, if it is supposed to come out you're going to have to find some way to pry it out, preferably without damaging it.

If you have access to a bushings press I would highly suggest you use it, or find a shop that does bushings and take you're arms and rods to them to have the new bushings pressed in. If you would rather do it yourself you will need a vice and 2 socket wrenches and do it the shadetree way. Do a search on youtube, there's lots of videos that show how to make your own press. As far as that the bushing size difference between old vs. new, that's the difference you're supposed to see, that size difference is what makes the new ones better, more compressed area to do it job.

[PoorManQ45]

Yup.so if you push hard enough, and put on enough lube it will probably pop in.

[longhornsqx4]

I got the old bushings out, new bushing cut in half and pressed in, metal sleeve pressed in, got them back installed on the car and.....

I need to scoot the rear end forward an inch

Pics of them after install

Now I placed both arms back in place, and put the rear bolt on each arm back in, and when you go to align the bolt hole/frame hole on each arm at the front, its an inch short. And my rear end is noticably further back in the wheel well

How can I get them to line up. Quick way to scoot the rear end forward??



I'll go start the cleanup and hope someone can help me out with a tip

[Pwnin O'Brien]

Your upper links are still connected, right? Try setting the parking break and carefully push the vehicle back until the rear axle rolls into place (you may need to put the trans in neutral). Not sure if this will work, but it's worth a shot!

[longhornsqx4]

Thats a bit of a problem, the car is on the driveway which is slanted and my rear is on the high end of the drieway....

But yes the upper links were never removed at all

Could I turn the vehicle around with those lower rears disconnected??

[Pwnin O'Brien]

If you try to drive it without the lower links then you'll put a lot of stress on the upper links and the u-joints (since the driveshaft will be trying to keep the axle forward). You could try jacking up the rear of the vehicle (chalk the front wheels) and then manually turn the axle into place. It won't be easy, but this is the only other thing I can think of besides physically moving the vehicle.

EDIT: This may not won't work since you will probably need to have the trans in neutral to shift the axle enough. I could be wrong.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

10lb sledge?

[longhornsqx4]

Well I only have to turn around, so I think Im gonna zip tie up the front of the rears that unbolts and just go for it and turn it around and hope she holds lol

f***

[Chaotic_Warlord]

I'm telling you, take a rubber mallet to them, you only have to bang them in just enough to get the bolt in and then hammer the bolt through.

[longhornsqx4]

I got the bolts thru, installed and they work fine. Install complete

But I also have a boost/cover broken on the end of my driveshat...

Looks like it needs replacing but I dont know what it is or how to FIX IT!!


Modified by longhornsqx4 at 1:54 PM 3/7/2010

[longhornsqx4]

^^^ Took a better pic

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Is your driveshaft a piece deal lik eon the 240's, if so source yourself another rear section otherwise just go to a junkyard and get a used drive shaft from a Pathfinder of the same years as your QX4. I looks like you snapped your rear section right off of it's mounts on the diff pumpkin.